The Whitewater Wrestling team finished up a busy week of competition culminating in hosting their 10th annual Whitewater Invitational on December 9. Saturday consisted of the varsity team competing against 14 other top-notch teams from the area including many division one programs. The team and individual competition was very stiff, potentially the best overall wrestling we have seen in the ten years of the tournament. 

When the tournament ended, the Whippets found themselves in a respectable 5th place behind a very good Riverdale team from southwest Wisconsin who won the tournament, with Burlington coming in second. Third went to Janesville Craig and fourth went to Verona. The coaching staff was happy with the finish as there were some very high-quality teams ahead of the Whippets and thought overall we wrestled well. 

Connor Friend was the top placing Whippet coming in 3rd place. Connor lost a tough overtime match against an opponent from Riverdale who had beaten Connor last year quite severely. Connor wrestled very well losing on a scramble in overtime. In the third-place match, Connor was able secure a pin against a very tough young man from Lake Mills.

Nate Black and JJ Gonzalez also had very good days, each losing only one match and going 4-1. Because this is a scramble tournament the timing of their losses prevented them from being in the championship bracket so they did not medal but did wrestle extremely well. 

Team Picks Up Two Dual Meet Wins on the Week

On Thursday night, December 7, the wrestlers traveled to Beloit Turner to compete in two dual meets. In dual number one the Whippets took care of Clinton in the first dual 67-12. Coming away with pins in this dual meet were Jarvis Porcaro, Jason Villegas, Brady Friend, Traysen Thomason, Odair Porras, and Sebastian Cuellar. 

In the nightcap, the Whippets weathered a storm and were able to hang on to defeat Beloit Turner 48-30. As always, the Whippets vs the Trojans of Turner is a very competitive dual. The Whippets found Turner ahead and gaining momentum as we entered the 138-pound contest when Connor Friend and Traysen Thomason picked up a couple of quick pins. Then JJ Gonzalez and Odair Porras followed with some well wrestled matches to keep the momentum in our direction. After a loss, Jesus Barajas had a big win at 175 sealing the victory for the Whippets. The two wins on the night pushed the Whippets to 3-1 on the season.

The team is next in action on Saturday, December 16, when the varsity and girls’ teams go to the Mount Horeb Invitational and the JV team is at the Elkhorn JV Invitational.

Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
Action Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka

By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information

Seven Warhawk football players represent the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on the 2023 All-Region 6 teams announced by D3football.com Wednesday. UW-Whitewater’s contingent consists of five First Team selections, one Second Team honoree and a Third Team pick. 

Senior defensive back Egon Hein became a three-time All-Region selection with First Team honors this season. A two-year team captain, Hein is a semifinalist for the 2023 Gagliardi Trophy and William V. Campbell Trophy. The First Team All-WIAC pick returned from injury to appear in seven contests. A lockdown defender frequently tasked with shutting down top receivers, Hein registered 22.0 tackles including 2.5 for losses while adding a pair of interceptions and five pass breakups this season.

Also representing the Warhawk defense with First Team honors this season, linebacker Joey Antonietti received his first All-Region nod. The sophomore led UWW in total tackles (90) and interceptions (4) while adding 5.5 tackles for a loss on the season. He ranked among the top ten in the WIAC in interceptions per game and tackles per game in 10 regular season contests.

Tamir Thomas was one of the top running backs in the nation all season. Through regular season games, Thomas ranked eighth in rush yards per carry (7.29) in Division III. In 10 games this season, Thomas averaged just under 100 yards per game, adding 12 rushing touchdowns including an 85-yarder. He added 75 yards on seven receptions with one receiving touchdown. On average, Thomas was responsible for 7.8 points per game in the regular season. The junior became the third fastest Warhawk back to reach 1,000 rushing yards hitting the milestone on his 139th carry (11th game this season) – the fastest since 1997 for UWW.  

Bolstering the Warhawks’ lucrative run game were offensive guard Alex Pethan and center John Pekar – both were First Team All-Region 6 selections this season. The pair helped UWW post phenomenal numbers in the ground game with 2,595 rushing yards, averaging six yards per carry for the regular season. In 706 drop backs, Pethan and Pekar combined to allow just one sack. Through the 10-game regular season slate, UW-Whitewater led the WIAC and ranked eighth nationally in rushing offense (259.5 yards per game). UWW also led the WIAC in fewest sacks allowed (.90 per game) while holding second in total offense (464.4 yards per game). In conference contests only, the Warhawks averaged 1.7 yards more per carry and had 528 more rushing yards than any other team. 

Matt Burba, a junior defensive tackle, earned Second Team All-Region 6 honors this season. In 10 games played, Burba registered 30 tackles including 7 for losses. He added 2.5 sacks for a total loss of 33 yards while forcing one fumble on the season. The 2023 First Team All-WIAC selection helped lead the league’s top defensive team (293.1 yards per game allowed), top scoring defense (18.0 points allowed per game) and best fourth-down defense (36.8 conversion percentage). 

Mason Stepanski added Third Team All-Region 6 honors for special teams play. The sophomore was a Second Team All-WIAC pick this season. Stepanski tallied 27 tackles, the majority coming on special teams coverage. He helped lead the WIAC’s third-best kickoff return defense (16.22 yards per return allowed). 

The Whitewater Boys’ Swim Team competed against Edgerton/Evansville on Tuesday, December 5. The team started conference with a win by finishing 1st in 10 of the 11 events. 

200 Medley Relay – Langdon Coburn, Jack Hefty, Cruz Aranda, and Myles Morse with a 1st place finish with a time of 2:04.00

200 Freestyle – Langdon Coburn with a 1st place finish and a time of 2:21.62. Wyatt Esch competed in this event for the first time and earned himself a time of 2:50.37. 

200 IM – Myles Morse with a 1st place finish and a time of 2:41.62 

50 Freestyle (JV) – Angel Kilar and Isaac Straight continue to drop time in this event. We are excited to see what the upcoming meets have in store for them. 

50 Freestyle (Varsity) – Cruz Aranda with a first-place finish and a time of 26.39. Sam Nickelsburg (30.70) and Caleb Kluck (30.49) had impressive swims as well.

100 Butterfly – Langdon Coburn placed 1st with a time of 1:06.21

100 Freestyle – Jack Hefty placed 1st with a time of 57.53. Caleb Kluck earned himself a best time of 1:13.38. That’s a 2 second time drop. 

500 Freestyle – Sam Nickelsburg with a 1st place finish and a time of 7:14.11. David Enns also had an impressive swim with a time of 8:26.09

100 Backstroke – Cruz Aranda (1:11.36) with a 1st place and Miles Nickelsburg (1:15.29) with a 2nd place finish.

100 Breaststroke – Jack Hefty with a 1st place finish and a time of 1:18.08. David Enns had a best time with a 1:40.23

400 Freestyle Relay – Cruz Aranda, Langdon Coburn, Myles Morse, and Jack Hefty with a 1st place finish and a time of 4:05.46. Then a 3rd place finish by Miles Nickelsburg, Sam Nickelsburg, Wyatt Esch, and Angel Kilar with a time of 5:16.16.

The Boys’ Swim Team is back in the pool on Saturday, December 9, at Elkhorn. We hope to see you all there!

Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org

The Whippet Swimmers traveled to Milton on Saturday, December 2nd to compete in the Tom Lieder Invitational. The Whippets placed 7th overall as a team.

Placing in the Top 16 include (Top 3 medal):

• 200 Medley Relay:
  • 7th – Langdon Coburn, Jack Hefty, Cruz Aranda, Myles Morse (2:00.14)
• 200 IM:
  • 4th – Cruz Aranda (2:23.94)
  • 6th – Jack Hefty (2:30.10)
• 100 Fly:
  • 7th – Cruz Aranda (1:04.45)
  • 16th – Sam Nickelsburg (1:22.54)
• 100 Free:
  • 4th – Jack Hefty (55.86)
• 100 IM:
  • 6th – Langdon Coburn (1:05.99)
• 200 Freestyle Relay:
  • 6th – Miles Nickelsburg, Wyatt Esch, Onyx Thompson, Caleb Kluck (2:04.29)
• 100 Backstroke:
  • 6th – Langdon Coburn (1:07.86)
• 400 Freestyle Relay (8 Swimmer swam a 50 Freestyle)
  • 2nd – Cruz Aranda, Langdon Coburn, David Enns, Miles Nickelsburg, Caleb Kluck, Sam Nickelsburg, Myles Morse, Jack Hefty (3:44.07)

The Whippets are back in action on Tuesday, December 5th in Edgerton at 5:30 p.m. 

Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org